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Project SummaryPIR has 11.5 acres of land, which it believes would be suitable for an RV park catering to families and recreational visitors. The area is a shade tree, park-like setting that would be quiet at night yet be accessible to I-5 and a MAX station. The facility is spacious enough to retain an upscale, family-friendly appearance. Since, by law, RV sites must all be within 500 feet of the restrooms, the RV park would need to have a service building that is centrally located. The RV park would need to be designed for large rigs to navigate in and out of, have sufficient space between sites as to provide good comfort and minimize conflicts, be family friendly, and establish itself at a high price point to encourage shorter stays. It is expected that the site will be developed with other amenities common to the better RV parks in the region such as a playground, a pet area, picnic area, and landscaping. There would be a single building containing a registration area, maintenance room, mechanical room, storage area, showers, bathrooms, laundry, and vending machines.

In 2004, PIR obtained approval for a Master Plan for the PIR property from the City of Portland; this plan gives it a blueprint for 10-year development and management of the site.

Market OverviewThe supply of recreation-oriented RV parks in the Portland area, and especially places convenient to public transportation and downtown, is tight. The high price of developable land is a major cause of the shortage of good quality RV parks. Furthermore, permanent residents seeking reasonably priced housing and workers attracted to Portland by the construction boom, who need good housing for a year or so, are occupying many sites in area RV parks that would otherwise be available for tourists. As such, there are few quality transient RV sites for recreational visitors.

Undoubtedly, an RV park will attract many tourists using RVs that would relish the opportunity to stay at PIR, which attracts nearly 120,000 visitors a year from beyond the immediate region. In addition, with over 127,000 vehicles a day passing by PIR on I-5, many non-motor sport RV tourists would also be inclined to stay given the facility's proximity to the City and access to the MAX. Thus, a park-like, family-friendly park at PIR with competitive features, security, easy access to light rail, and operated to appeal more to vacationing patrons rather than long-term residents would achieve high occupancy rates if well managed and marketed.